Kerala court quashes charge sheet in Sabarimala case

Kochi, July 13 (IANS) The Kerala High Court Friday quashed the charge sheet filed by police in the controversial Sabarimala “astrological finding” case, which included Kannada actress Jaimala among the accused.

While closing the case, the court also said that the charges against the accused were not legally tenable.

In June 2006, a team led by noted astrologer P. Unnikrishna Panicker conducted a four-day “devaprasnam” (a puja to invoke god) at the Sabarimala temple, following which Panicker revealed that there were signs of a woman having entered the sanctum sanctorum of the temple.

As per the rules of the temple, dedicated to bachelor Hindu god Ayappa, women of menstruating age are not allowed inside.

Soon after the noted astrologer’s revelation, Kannada actress Jaimala claimed that she had entered the sanctum sanctorum and touched the temple deity in 1987.

Following this, a probe was launched and it concluded that the entire episode was staged to earn name and fame for Panicker.

Police filed a charge sheet against Panicker, his assistant Reghupathy and Jaimala for hatching a conspiracy and hurting religious sentiments of the people of the state.

The trio had filed a petition in the high court to dismiss the case.

Sabarimala is a popular Hindu temple located in Kerala’s Western Ghats area at an altitude of 914 metres above sea level in Pathanamthitta district.